PROGRAM YEAR IV, QUARTER II PROGRESS REPORT

The program is funded by the United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Cooperative Agreement No. 617-A-00-09-00007-00. The program is implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. in collaboration with World Education's Bantwana Initiative, Communication for Development Foundation Uganda, mothers2mothers, and Uganda Cares. The program's major objectives include increasing access to, coverage of, and utilization of quality comprehensive HIV/AIDS and TB prevention, care, and treatment services within district health facilities and their respective communities. The program also aims to strengthen decentralized HIV/AIDS and TB service delivery systems, improve quality and efficiency of HIV/AIDS and TB service delivery, and increase demand for comprehensive HIV/AIDS and TB prevention, care, and treatment services. During the first quarter of Program Year IV, significant progress was made in achieving the program's objectives. In terms of increasing access to and uptake of HIV testing and counseling (HTC) services, the program reported a 25% increase in HTC services provided in the nine supported districts compared to the same period in the previous year. The program also made significant progress in prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT), with a 30% increase in PMTCT services provided in the nine supported districts. In addition, the program reported significant progress in care and support services, including a 20% increase in the number of patients receiving care and support services in the nine supported districts. The program also made significant progress in treatment services, with a 25% increase in the number of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the nine supported districts. The program also made significant progress in strengthening decentralized HIV/AIDS and TB service delivery systems, including support to strategic information collection and dissemination, improving human resources for health, injection safety and waste disposal interventions, and supporting laboratory services, health infrastructure, and equipment needs. Furthermore, the program reported significant progress in improving quality and efficiency of HIV/AIDS and TB service delivery within health facilities and civil society organizations, including health care improvement and strengthening networks and referrals systems to improve access to, coverage of, and utilization of HIV and TB services. The program also made significant progress in increasing demand for comprehensive HIV/AIDS and TB prevention, care, and treatment services, including strengthening capacity of Village Health Teams (VHTs), strengthening the capacity of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and strengthening the capacity of people living with HIV coordination structures. Overall, the program reported significant progress in achieving its objectives during the first quarter of Program Year IV, and is well on track to meet its goals for the year.